Hi Putrale, here’s some constructive feedback to keep your rating climbing!
1 . Opening habits – polish the foundations
- You consistently open with 1.e4 – great! But the early queen adventures (Qh5, Qf3, Qe4+) are a double-edged sword. They win you quick games when the opponent blunders, yet in your most recent losses they back-fired (e.g. 8.Qxf7# against you). Try playing a few games where your queen does not move until move 7–9; you’ll feel the difference in king safety and piece coordination.
- As Black you answer 1.e4 with 1…e5 (good) but often follow with …Bc5 & …g6 before finishing development. Consider the classical move order …Nf6 → …Nc6 → …Bc5 and castle early. This alone would have neutralised the quick mates you suffered.
- Homework: build a “principled” repertoire. Start with the Italian as White and the Petroff or Two Knights as Black. Aim to reach this tabiya:
2 . Tactics – your biggest strength, and a risk
You spot forks like 9.Nxc7+ and tactical shots such as 24.Nd6!! (vs yasseraribi) very quickly – that’s why your games are dynamic. Keep sharpening this edge with 5-10 daily puzzles set to rated mode. After each session, review the first move you considered that was wrong; this will gradually reduce calculation noise and blunders.
3 . King safety – the recurring theme
Every recent loss started with your king stuck in the centre or exposed on g4/h4 in the ending. Create a simple checkbox in your head before every move:
- Is my king safe? (Castled? Flight squares? Opponent’s forcing checks?)
- Is any loose piece hanging?
If you answer “no” to #1, fix it before initiating tactics.
4 . Endgame conversion – finishing cleanly
Several wins were adjudications or abandonments while you were a rook up. Practise converting rook + pawn endings so you’re comfortable when opponents keep fighting. A great drill is the “Lucena” and “Philidor” positions once per day for a week.
5 . Time management
You’re using roughly 1–2 minutes per critical decision and finishing with 4–5 minutes on the clock. That’s healthy. In complicated positions (e.g. your Caro-Kann loss) spend an extra 20–30 seconds to verify tactics; that one pause would have avoided 10.Qxb4+ and kept material equal.
6 . Key lesson from a tough game
The mate is pretty, but notice how Black never castled and kept pieces on the back rank. Flip the board and you’ll see your own losses share this pattern. Moral: castle first, attack second.
7 . Track your progress
Keep an eye on your trends:
8 . Personal best
Your current high mark: 477 (2025-08-13). Let’s beat it by applying the notes above!
Action plan for the next 2 weeks
- Play 15 games limiting yourself to zero queen moves before move 7.
- Solve 70 rated puzzles (≈5/day) and annotate any missed tactics.
- Study one classical Italian or Petroff game every other day; focus on move order and king safety.
- Drill Lucena & Philidor rook endings daily (Chess.com drills or a board & pieces).
Enjoy the journey, Putrale—your tactical flair is exciting to watch, and with tighter fundamentals you’ll be storming past the 300-rating mark in no time. Good luck and have fun!